In 2025 the Treasurer, The Rt Hon Lady Justice Geraldine Andrews DBE, invites you to join a special series of talks taking place at Mixed Messes.
“The theme I have chosen for my year as Treasurer is education. I do not confine this to training in advocacy skills and professional ethics, important though these are; the Inns of Court are also vehicles for educating others about the importance of rule of law and the role that advocates play in achieving justice. Advocacy gives a voice to others – often to those who cannot speak for themselves.
Like any great artist, sportsman, actor or musician, a truly great advocate has star quality – and with it, the power to inspire others. Sadly, many such inspirational advocates of the past, some of whom were, in their day, as famous as any film star, are just names to our students. Their performances will rarely if ever have been recorded, and even if transcripts exist, they will not capture the personality, delivery and timing which contribute so much to a compelling performance in court. However, those who knew them, or who have studied their lives and work, can still teach us much about the qualities which made them so exceptional, and by doing so, inspire new generations of advocates to follow in their footsteps.
That is why the talks for mixed messes this year will each focus on a great advocate, starting with Michael Beloff KC speaking about George Carman KC, and Hilary Heilbron KC speaking about her mother, Dame Rose Heilbron, who became the Inn’s first female Treasurer. I gather that places are filling up fast, but I do hope that many Benchers and Members of Hall, including those who come less often to the Inn, will attend these talks and stay afterwards to dine with our students. Qualifying sessions are an important aspect of the Inn’s calendar, but in my experience they are also great fun. I hope that this year’s will prove particularly rewarding for barristers and students alike.”
You can book now for Mixed Messes on 20 February and Mixed Messes on 27 March.